Spirit of Service

My profession progressed satisfactorily, but that far from satisfied me. The question of further simplifying my life and of doing some concrete act of service to my fellowmen had been constantly agitating me, when a leper came to my door. I had not got the heart to dismiss him with a meal. So I offered him shelter, dressed his wounds, and began to look after him. But I could not go on like that indefinitely. I could not afford, and I lacked the will, to keep him always with me. So I sent him to the Government Hospital for indentured labourers.

My profession was going well, but that was far from enough to satisfy me. I was constantly thinking about how to simplify my life further and do something practical to serve others. Then a man with leprosy came to my door. I could not bring myself to send him away with just a meal. So I offered him shelter, dressed his wounds, and began to care for him. But I could not go on caring for him indefinitely. I could not afford to keep him with me always, and I lacked the will to do so. So I sent him to the Government Hospital for indentured labourers.

But I was still ill at ease. I longed for some humanitarian work of a permanent nature. Dr. Booth was the head of the St. Aidan’s Mission. He was a kindhearted man, and treated his patients free. Thanks to Parsi Rustomji’s charities, it was possible to open a small charitable hospital under Dr. Booth’s charge. I felt strongly inclined to serve as a nurse in this hospital. The work of dispensing medicines took from one to two hours daily, and I made up my mind to find that time from my office-work, so as to be able to fill the place of a compounder in the dispensary attached to the hospital. Most of my professional work was chamber work, conveyancing and arbitration. I of course used to have a few cases in the magistrate’s court, but most of them were of a non-controversial character, and Mr. Khan who had followed me to South Africa, and was then living with me, undertook to take them if I was absent. So I found time to serve in the small hospital. This meant two hours every morning including the time taken in going to and from the hospital. This work brought me some peace. It consisted in ascertaining the patient’s complaints, laying the facts before the doctor and dispensing the prescriptions. It brought me in close touch with suffering Indians, most of them indentured Tamil, Telugu or North India men.

But I was still uneasy. I longed to do some lasting humanitarian work. Dr. Booth was in charge of St. Aidan’s Mission. He was a kind man and treated his patients for free. Thanks to Parsi Rustomji’s charitable donations, a small charitable hospital opened under Dr. Booth’s care. I felt strongly drawn to serve as a nurse there. Dispensing medicines took one to two hours a day. I decided to make time for it by taking time away from my office work. That way, I could serve as a compounder in the hospital dispensary. Most of my legal work was office work, including preparing legal documents and arbitration. Of course, I also had a few cases in the magistrate’s court, but most involved no dispute. Mr. Khan, who had followed me to South Africa, was then living with me. He agreed to take those cases if I was absent. So I found time to serve at the small hospital. The work took two hours every morning, including the journey to and from the hospital. It brought me some peace. I asked patients about their complaints, told the doctor what I had learned, and dispensed the prescribed medicines. The work brought me into close contact with suffering Indians. Most were indentured Tamil, Telugu, or North Indian men.

The experience stood me in good stead, when during the Boer War I offered my services for nursing the sick and wounded soldiers.

The experience served me well when I offered to nurse sick and wounded soldiers during the Boer War.

The question of the rearing of children had been ever before me. I had two sons born in South Africa, and my service in the hospital was useful to me in solving the question of their upbringing. My independent spirit was a constant source of trial to me. My wife and I had decided to have the best medical aid at the time of her delivery, but if the doctor and the nurse were to leave us in the lurch at the right moment, what was I to do? Then the nurse had to be an Indian. And the difficulty of getting a trained Indian nurse in South Africa can be easily imagined from the similar difficulty in India. So I studied the things necessary for safe labour. I read Dr. Tribhuvandas’ book, Ma-ne Shikhaman,—Advice to a mother,—and I nursed both my children according to the instructions given in the book, tempered here and there by such experience as I had gained elsewhere. The services of a nurse were availed of,—not more than two months each time,—chiefly for helping my wife, and not for taking care of the babies, which I did myself.

The question of how to raise children was always on my mind. Two of my sons were born in South Africa. My work in the hospital helped me decide how to bring them up. My independent spirit was a constant source of difficulty for me. My wife and I had decided to get the best medical care when she gave birth. But what was I to do if the doctor and nurse let us down at the crucial moment? The nurse also had to be Indian. It was hard to find a trained Indian nurse in India, so one can imagine the difficulty in South Africa. So I studied what was needed for a safe delivery. I read Dr. Tribhuvandas’ book, Ma-ne Shikhaman, Advice to a mother. I cared for both my children according to its instructions, adjusting them here and there based on experience I had gained elsewhere. We employed a nurse for no more than two months each time. She chiefly helped my wife, while I cared for the babies myself.

The birth of the last child put me to the severest test. The travail came on suddenly. The doctor was not immediately available, and some time was lost in fetching the midwife. Even if she had been on the spot, she could not have helped delivery. I had to see through the safe delivery of the baby. My careful study of the subject in Dr. Tribhuvandas’ work was of inestimable help. I was not nervous.

The birth of my last child was my greatest test. Labor began suddenly. The doctor was not immediately available, and it took some time to fetch the midwife. Even if she had been there, she could not have helped deliver the baby. I had to make sure the baby was delivered safely. My careful study of the subject in Dr. Tribhuvandas’ book was an invaluable help. I was not nervous.

I am convinced that for the proper upbringing of children the parents ought to have a general knowledge of the care and nursing of babies. At every step I have seen the advantages of my careful study of the subject. My children would not have enjoyed the general health that they do today, had 1 not studied the subject and turned my knowledge to account. We labour under a sort of superstition, that the child has nothing to learn during the first five years of its life. On the contrary the fact is, that the child never learns in after life what it does in its first five years. The education of the child begins with conception. The physical and mental states of the parents at the moment of conception are reproduced in the baby. Then during the period of pregnancy it continues to be affected by the mother’s moods, desires and temperament, as also by her ways of life. After birth the child imitates the parents, and for a considerable number of years entirely depends on them for its growth.

I am convinced that parents need a general knowledge of baby care and nursing to raise their children properly. At every step, I have seen the benefits of studying the subject carefully. My children would not enjoy the general health they do today if I had not studied the subject and put my knowledge to use. We hold a kind of superstition that a child has nothing to learn during the first five years of life. On the contrary, a child never again learns as much as during those first five years. A child’s education begins at conception. The parents’ physical and mental states at the moment of conception are reproduced in the baby. During pregnancy, the baby continues to be affected by the mother’s moods, desires, temperament, and way of life. After birth, the child imitates the parents and depends entirely on them for growth for many years.

The couple who realises these things will never have sexual union for the fulfilment of their lust, but will unite only when they desire issue. I think it is the height of ignorance to believe, that the sexual act is an independent function necessary like sleeping or eating. The world depends for its existence on the act of generation, and as the world is the play-ground of God and a reflection of His glory, the act of generation should be controlled for the ordered growth of the world. He who realises this, will control his lust at any cost, will equip himself with the knowledge necessary for the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of his progeny, and give the benefit of that knowledge to posterity.

A couple who understand these things will never have sex to satisfy their lust. They will unite only when they want children. I think it is the height of ignorance to believe that sex is a separate function, as necessary as sleeping or eating. The world depends on reproduction for its existence. The world is also God’s playground and a reflection of his glory. So reproduction should be controlled to ensure the orderly growth of the world. A man who understands this will control his lust at any cost. He will gain the knowledge needed for his children’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, and pass that knowledge on to future generations.